All posts by Alondra

Meet Nishanth

Written By: N. Buggineni UNT Graduate Business Analytics

Hey, this is Nishanth Buggineni. I’m currently pursuing my graduation in Business Analytics at UNT. I’m passionate about making technology a catalyst for living. I strongly believe that technology is not something that threatens human life but upgrades the living standards of humans to the ultimate.

I got an opportunity to join the Spark team recently, a team with highly talented, intelligent, and full of energy individuals. I’m super excited to work with everyone in the team.

I love sports, especially playing cricket, badminton and athletics boost me. When I was in 10th standard. I took the responsibility to be the sports captain of my school and lead sports activate. Trust me on that, it was a big responsibility for me at that age where I have started developing leadership qualities and competitive skills to achieve a goal.

Won a Cricket Tournament

Apart from sports, I am fascinated towards photography. I love to capture moments and I’m exceling the skill over time.

I feel like the Spark Makerspace is something that can bring a change in the quality of learning things giving them a real time approach. It can connect students, staff & faculty to the mentors who have a passion in the same fields of interest. Mentors can really make an impact by guiding them to learn new set of skills which can enhance their life. I truly believe the Spark Makerspace will bring the #PassionRevolution to help you achieve bigger and better things.

Meet MADAN

Written By: M. Mohan UNT Graduate Information Science

Howdy, everyone! I’m Madan, a graduate student at UNT focusing on Information Science with a music and information technology background. The Spark Makerspace is an excellent place to develop innovative skills. The staff here are amicable and helpful in learning various software and equipment available for students to use, whether it is 3D printing, laser cutting, using the sewing machine, or learning cutting-edge technology. It is a department that is inclusive of students from all backgrounds. I always enjoy working in a diverse place with people from all backgrounds, making our department a unique focus on diversity and equity. This is a place for anyone passionate about arts and is an excellent place to develop leadership and collaborative skills from business to creative arts majors. I enjoy working here the most due to access to various electronic music production equipment and my newfound interest in Blender software. At Spark, we also have the opportunity to help patrons who want to explore and learn various software. It is an ideal workplace for anyone creative because it allows one to learn, explore, develop different skills, and grow together.

My passion is always towards music, technical services, metadata, research, and technology, which I love and enjoy researching during my free time. I write classical music, enjoy nature, solitude, and reading books that question SELF! Self-exploration is truly a fascinating journey that cannot be put into words or understood with a finite mind! Music is also a kind of self-exploration that always keeps me grounded because, as a composer, I don’t know what I’m going to write next moment, how an idea would start, where it would lead to. This has taught me not to expect but to enjoy every moment, whatever that we do.

My favorite quote by Arthur Rubenstein, a famous 20th-century pianist,

“Nothing in art is the best; it is only different.”

This is very true and could be applied to life in general too. No country, no religion, or culture is superior or inferior, and what diversity can teach one is far more than one could learn in books. Diversity is the key to being open, loving, understanding, being kind, respectful, and accepting of what life has to offer. Time and time out, life has continually taught me that nothing is permanent in any given day, but we enjoy every moment with gratitude. Finally, I want to share a few words from my grandfather, who always says, gratitude is the key, and be thankful for everyone and everything! Life is beautiful when we are open!

Meet HEMANTH D.

Written By: H. Dodda UNT Graduate Information Science

I’m Hemanth Reddy Dodda pursuing my graduation in information science with a data science major here at UNT. I have a couple of years of experience as a Machine Learning Data Associate in Amazon. I have a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering in India. On the other hand, my career vision is to become a data scientist helping organizations achieve their goals. Apart from my professional career, I’m an avid gamer, and I love to socially interact with people.

For me, the Spark Makerspace is all about learning and helping each other learn. Growing up as a kid, I used to watch my father work on electrical equipment and feel excited about that. He used to solder and also work on electric motors. In the Spark Makerspace, I work as a Technology Engagement Specialist, and I got the chance to work on soldering and many more interesting things like 3D printing, Cricut, and CNC. I like to interact a lot with people and working at the Spark provides me an opportunity to meet a lot of new people and help them. I have a lot more things to learn from the Spark Makerspace and many more projects to work on. Going forward, I would like to help anyone interested in the Spark to learn and utilize the Spark Makerspace as much as they can.

Meet Sai Dheeraj

Written by: S. Gamineedi Spark TEK Specialist UNT Graduate Data Science

My name is Sai Dheeraj Gamineedi. I am pursuing a Master’s in Data Science here at UNT. I had started working with the Spark in August 2021 where there is a lot to learn about. I mostly like to make my own 3D printing models and circuits. I had an interest in working with soldering with different electrical components like resistors, capacitors, Ic’s (integrated circuits) inductors of all kinds like normal and SMD components. In my undergrad, I had designed and implemented my project by myself using soldering with SMD components. The Spark has a positive atmosphere, and I have made a lot of friends while working there.

While I was in India, I used to play badminton every day it’s more like a hobby. My father encouraged me to do whatever I want in my life, and I love cooking authentic Indian food like Biryani, Gulab jamun, Laddu and some other chicken and vegetarian dishes.

You can learn new technology by using the Spark Makerspace. There is a lot of people who have specific talents in their own way that can help you make new things, help you in your innovative projects, and teach you a lot more about the space. The staff here are very friendly and resourceful that you can come any time 24/7. We are open all day. We are looking forward to meeting you all in the Spark Makerspace.

Meet Sai Ashrith

Written by: S. Gavini Spark TEK Specialist UNT Graduate Computer Engineering

Hello there! My name is Sai Ashrith Gavini, and I am pursuing my master’s in Computer Engineering and did my bachelor’s in Electronics and Communication Engineering. Although it’s been a month in the Spark, I was welcomed by all the staff, and it has been a joy working here. Working with all the equipment at the Spark, especially helping the people, and resolving their queries is what I am passionate about and love to work towards that.

When I was an undergrad, I use to see my seniors working on c language and I was curious why they were spending more time on this language. Later, when I joined their group, I was exposed to coding. I never thought coding will become my passion. After that day, my perception has changed. With that skill, I realized that extracurricular are also important, so I involved myself in event management stuff where I was exposed to different people and laid foundations for many events during my undergrad. This job role has made me realized what I am good at. With this, I can manage both my technical skills and event management skills. Because of my seniors, I was able to develop the skills I have today. When I have free time, I refer to medium articles, refer to my professor’s research work, refer to new technologies and solve coding problems on various platforms.

The first code I have written and the first Pictionary event that I have conducted. Those two events are nothing, but the best milestones in my life.

Outside of school, I used to attend the networking events hosted by many companies and work as an assistant under my professor. Finally, these skills and hobbies made me crack my job interview and started working in Cognizant Technology Solutions. There, I got exposure to many senior colleagues, and I used to feel overwhelmed by listening to their journeys in the corporate files. I also enjoy cooking. I used to experiment with different dishes and add different species to different food varieties.

I am passionate about helping people and resolving their queries, and I hope to spread my knowledge to my classmates and make them aware of the Spark makerspace and the facilities available in the makerspace. I want my classmates to join the maker movement and challenge themselves to learn something new and be an inspiration to others. With this initiative, we can educate many people, and help students to utilize the makerspace’s potential to an extent. The Spark is a great resource for students at UNT, and it will be more resourceful when students use that technology to develop their skills, and at the end of the day, they will

be satisfied with the work that they have done, and it will be kind of encouraging for us to set the goals higher. So, I highly encourage students to utilize the resource efficiently and never feel satisfied with the knowledge that they got, keep exploring more until you get satisfied.

Meet Hemanth G.

Written by: H. Gopisetti TEK Specialist UNT Graduate Business Analytics

Hello everyone, my name is Hemanth Kumar Gopisetti, and I am a Graduate student at UNT majoring in MS in Business Analytics.

Although I have been working at the Spark since Aug 2021, I still feel like every day is my first day because of the learning opportunities, and it has been a joy being here.

Working here at the Spark with all the equipment, especially 3D printing is something I am passionate about.

When I was young, I would love to play with 3D models of cars and superheroes.

When I have free time, I tried to make replicas using some clay, POP materials, and I would enjoy making them.

I am passionate about making them and I enjoy while making them, and I would like to learn and make more models by using 3D printing.

The Spark is a great resource for students at UNT who are interested in learning and developing a new skill. So, I highly encourage UNT students and faculty to utilize this space.

Meet ALEX

Written by: A. Vargas Spark Specialist UNT Senior Mechanical and Energy Engineering

Hi, my name is Alex. I am a senior at The University of North Texas majoring in Mechanical and Energy Engineering and minoring in Math. Even though I have just recently started working at the Spark, I feel welcomed by all the staff, and it has been a joy being here. Working with all the equipment at the Spark is something I look forward to every day because of our wide collection.

Besides studying for classes and working, I am also in an engineering organization called the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. My organization has helped me get ready for interviews, edit my resume, and talk to different engineering companies. Besides that, I also help tutor others in math or mentor them to help them grow professionally. In addition, we also play a variety of sports. I play soccer, tennis, softball, but my favorite sport of all is volleyball.

Outside of school, I like to go play games with my roommate, Mike, and hang out on our balcony. Our conversations focus from philosophical discussions to talking about the wonders of space to the biology of humans to the infinite possibilities ahead of us. If I’m not hanging out with him, I go out to explore the outdoors by hiking or going kayaking.

I’m glad I came to work here at the Spark, having a job on campus and with some great coworkers. I have also learned a lot of new things since working here has exposed me to different types of knowledge. Like sewing, embroidery, Cricut, CNC, laser cutting, blender, and even building a couple of robots just to name a couple of things. Lastly, one of my current projects is building and programming a robot. The purpose of this project is to make it functional. Eventually, once the robot is in full function, it will then be used to teach high schoolers how to build and program their own robot to do various things.

Meet Chandler

Written by: C. Cook Spark Specialist UNT MS in Biomedical Engineering and MS in Business Administration

Hello, my name is Chandler Cook and I have attended UNT for 4 years. I got my undergrad degree in Biomedical Engineering and minored in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics. I’m currently a graduate student, getting a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration.

I am a new employee at The Spark and love working with 3D printers and the Cricut machines. I am most passionate about working with 3D printers because I want to open my own Biomedical Engineering company that would utilize 3D printers for developing prosthetics, medical devices, and implants. Currently, I am acquiring experience with various Biomedical Engineering aspects that will benefit my company.

Furthermore, I have multiple creations utilizing the Cricut machine and 3D printers.

The cricut images show a T-shirt and a birthday card I created for my boyfriend. I also created the lithophane for my boyfriend. Lastly, the 3D printed active prosthetic was developed for my senior design project.

In my free time, I like hanging out with friends, watching movies and TV, sleeping, and video games. Also, I like online shopping and creating colorful detailed notes. In conclusion, I enjoy creating, making, and innovating different things.

Meet Gold

Written by: G. Okorie Spark TEK Specialist UNT Graduate Data Analytics

Hello Everyone,

My name is Gold Okorie, and I’m a graduate student majoring in Data Analytics with the hopes of becoming a Data Analyst in a multi-national company.

I love working at the Spark because I get to work with different people from diverse backgrounds. The makerspace has given me the opportunity to learn about different technologies and the use of these technologies creatively in a non-traditional setting. I personally love working with the Cricut machine because I love the idea of creating a wide variety of crafts such as designs on a shirt, make a personal greeting card or stickers, and so much more.

Outside of working in the makerspace, I love to bake and binge-watch comedy shows.

The Spark Makerspace is open to the UNT community, and I’m hoping it will be utilized and foster creative thinking within the community.

Meet SARA

Written By: S. Flores Spark Specialist UNT Junior Anthropology

My name is Sara Flores. I’m in my junior year of undergrad here at UNT focusing on anthropology with a minor in French. I am a maker at The Spark, and my specialty is sewing and textiles. I am driven not only to create but to teach as well. Helping people unlock their potential with sewing is my favorite part of the job! I was originally taught to sew by my mother at only five years old, and I have been designing costumes and apparel for nearly a decade. I also have an interest in history that I love to combine with my work to create historically inspired and constructed garments.

All the available technology in the makerspace has allowed me to broaden my horizons since joining the maker team. I’ve been able to utilize our large collection of audio and visual gear to explore my interest in filmmaking. So far, I’m enjoying editing videos!

At home, I enjoy working with leather, drawing, painting, and designing anything from clothing to furniture to landscape. One of my favorite places in the world is a good renaissance festival, and I love wearing my historical creations there! I believe creativity is the most valuable asset one can have, and the tools and teachers at The Spark Makerspace are more than capable of helping you discover your creative side and develop your skills to make products you’re proud of.